Stymie
Stymie Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
Game Board made up of 49 spaces, consisting of 24 Perimeter spaces, 24 Prime spaces, and the Center space.
2 sets of colored glass stones (25 each Gold and Silver)
2 cloth storage bags
1 two-sided Antipode token (Gold and Silver)
Instructions
Setup
Players determine who will play Gold and who will play Silver. Each player starts with 13 pieces. Gold moves first.
The game begins with the Antipode on the Center space Silver side up and an otherwise empty board.
The Gold player may place a stone on any empty space excluding any of the 8 spaces adjacent to the Antipode. After the Gold player places his first stone, the Silver player can place a stone on any empty space that isn't adjacent to a piece already on the board. Players continue taking turns placing new stones onto the board on any empty space not adjacent to an already occupied space.
The Play
When no more stones can be placed on the board, the active player moves one of his pieces one space in a vertical or horizontal direction. Once a piece is on the board, it may be moved into any empty vertically or horizontally adjacent space. A piece may not, however, move back and forth between the same two spaces on consecutive turns. Moving into a position that is adjacent to an occupied space is allowed. Diagonal moves are not permitted.
As play continues, players will have 3 options:
- Place a new stone onto the board on any space that isn't adjacent to an occupied space.
- Move a piece already on the board.
- Execute a jump.
Rules for jumping are as follows: the active player may jump one of his stones over another piece that is orthogonally adjacent, provided the space on the other side of the piece being jumped is empty. Players may jump either friendly or opposing pieces or a combination of the two. Multiple jumps are permitted and a piece may change direction while jumping. When an opposing piece is jumped, it is captured and removed from the board. Jumping is not mandatory (exception - see Tournament Rules).
Once movement begins, the Antipode is treated like any other piece with the following exceptions:
- The Antipode is never captured. If it is jumped, it is then flipped to the other side, regardless of which player jumps it.
- The color which is face up indicates which player controls the Antipode.
- The Antipode may never jump over another piece but it may move any number of open spaces vertically or horizontally.
- The Antipode does not count either as a captured piece or as a piece occupying a Prime Space.
Ending the Game
When a player either captures 7 opposing stones or occupies 7 Prime spaces, he wins the game.
Tournament Rules
Tournament matches are played over 2 or 4 rounds. All rules of the basic game apply with the following additions and amendments:
- 2 Round Match - Players begin with 16 pieces.
- 4 Round Match - Players begin with 25 pieces.
SETUP is the same as the Basic Game.
The Play
All rules of the Basic Game apply except in Tournament Matches a stone occupying a Perimeter space may not jump over an opposing piece occupying a Prime space, but a stone may always jump over a friendly piece (including the Antipode if currently friendly). Additionally, points are tabulated at the end of each round.
- A round ends in the same way as the Basic Game, but after a round is over, points are added.
- Captured stones are counted with the player who captured the higher total adding the difference to his score. For example, if Gold captured 4 Silver stones and Silver captured 1 Gold stone, Gold would add 3 points to his score.
- Captured pieces are lost for the remainder of the Match. If a player ever has his number of pieces reduced to less than 7, he automatically loses.
- If a player ends a the round by occupying 7 Prime spaces, he subtracts the total of Prime spaces occupied by the opposing player and adds the result to his score. For example, if the Silver player ends a round by occupying 7 Prime spaces, and the Gold player finishes the round occupying 5 Prime spaces, the Silver player would subtract 5 from his 7 and add 2 points to his score.
- At the end of each round the player controlling the Antipode scores 1 bonus point if it is located in a Prime Space or 2 points if it's located in the Center Space. No bonus is awarded if the Antipode finishes a round in a Perimeter Space.
- Captured pieces are counted and applied at the end of every round.
- Prime spaces are only counted if a round ends with one player occupying 7 Prime spaces. The Center Space is not a Prime Space.
- Players alternate moving first each round. The side of the Antipode that is facing up to begin a round is always the opposite of the player who moves first each round.
- If at the end of a Tournament game the score is tied, one more round is played using the Basic Game rules to determine a winner. Players do not replenish their pieces for the extra round, meaning if a player's number of pieces is reduced to less than 7, it results in an automatic loss.
Mandatory Move
As in the Basic Game, jumping is not mandatory with one exception. If a player has an available move to end a round, he must make it, whether it is a single capture or a placement. A player is not required to make a combination jump to end a round. However, if a player makes a jump that would then present the opportunity to capture an opposing stone and end the round, he must do so.
If a player has a move available to end a round but chooses to make a different move, the opposing player can sight the infraction before taking his turn, and as a penalty remove any one of his opponent's pieces from the board and add it to his captures. If the piece taken represents the 7th capture, the round would end and scores would be tabulated.